Purdue News

February 11, 2000 Purdue ag economists offer risk management seminars WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University agricultural economists will offer a risk management workshop at four different sites across Indiana during February and March to help producers evaluate the risks and returns of contract farming. James Pritchett, assistant professor of agricultural economics, said the workshops will provide farmers and others interested in contract farming with the tools necessary to evaluate whether contracts are an effective use of resources within their business. "These meetings will highlight one of the contemporary issues in agriculture," Pritchett said. "The risk and return of these types of contracts are not well known. Therefore, we have designed the workshops to fill in the informational gaps." Each workshop will begin at 9 a.m. and last no later than 2:30 p.m. The workshops will have one morning and two concurrent afternoon sessions. The morning session will focus on the types of contracts currently being used and the legal ramifications of each. Also, educators will discuss sources of risk and catalysts that are fueling the trend toward contract production. During the afternoon, the focus will shift toward the specific needs of the workshop participants. One session will focus on contracts in the livestock industry, the other will focus on contracts in the grain and oilseed industry. Dates, locations and contact information for the four sessions are: • Feb. 28: White County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12 N. County Road 25 East, Reynolds, Ind. CONTACT: Greg Bossaer, (219) 984-5115 • March 8: Randolph County 4-H Fairgrounds, 1885 S. U.S. 27, Winchester, Ind. CONTACT: Dan Kirtley, (765) 584-2271 • March 9: Honeywell Center, 275 W. Market St., Wabash, Ind. CONTACT: Vince Harrell, (219) 563-0661 • March 10: Beckes Student Union, Vincennes University, Vincennes, Ind. CONTACT: Jerry Nelson, (812) 882-3509 The workshops are open to producers, lenders, agribusiness leaders and anyone else who is interested in the topic. Registration is $10 and includes all materials, snacks and lunch. The registration deadline is Feb. 23 for the Reynolds workshop and March 1 for all other locations. Checks, payable to Purdue University, and registration information should be mailed to Pat Dudley, Purdue University, Department of Ag Economics, 1145 Krannert, Room 565, West Lafayette, IN 47907. For more information about the workshops, contact Pritchett at (765) 496-6262, or the local contact for each site listed above. Compiled by Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page